Big papa EA is known for putting its subsidiaries or children under the guillotine if sales figures don’t reach projected numbers. The company has a number of corpses buried in its land, and many gamers and fans wonder if BioWare will be joining its siblings sometime soon. Well, James Ohlen — a BioWare veteran that recently retired — has come forth to reassure fans that even if Anthem fails it won’t be “the end of BioWare.”
Ohlen’s attempt to reassure publication outlet Game Informer and readers that BioWare will not go under even if Anthem doesn’t move “gangbuster” units sparked from a series of questions about “conspiracy theories.”
In addition to those questions that Matt Bertz — the managing editor of said site — fired Ohlen’s way, he wanted to know about all the internet talk surrounding the mess that is Andromeda, EA’s reputation of having an “itchy trigger finger” when it comes to studio closures, and whether or not BioWare will be shut down if Anthem fails.
You can read Ohlen’s response below:
“The more success that a studio has, the more freedom and resources that it has, so obviously BioWare wants to have success with Anthem because that will be good for the studio as a whole. However, I think EA is looking for BioWare to be a long-term part of the company. I think EA really respects what BioWare brings to it. BioWare is a lot different than all the other aspects of its business, so, even if Anthem doesn’t do as well – and I think it’s going to be great – but if it doesn’t do gangbusters I don’t think that’s the end of BioWare. I think it will simply be a chance for BioWare to learn some lessons and apply it to the next game that comes out.”
In other words, Ohlen feels that BioWare has garnered enough success in the past to screw up. And because of its success in the past, EA has allowed them more “freedom” and “resources” to take risks.
According to Ohlen, he also believes that big papa EA is looking at BioWare as a long-term company and that it respects what BioWare brings to it.
Ohlen also states that “BioWare is a lot different than all the other aspects of its business,” so even if Anthem doesn’t do as well, he thinks BioWare won’t be guillotined, but, instead, will be put in a “lesson” learning state to apply it to the next game that comes out.
With all of that said, what are your thoughts on Ohlen, Anthem, BioWare, and EA?
